Improvement in time-locks



W. KOOK & J. L. HALL. Time-Look. No. 212,610. Patented Feb. 25,1879.

UNITED s'rnrns ATENT FFIG'E.

WILLIAM KOOK AND JOSEPH'L. HALL, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO; SAID KOOK ASSIGNORTO SAID HALL.

IMPROVEMENT IN TIME-LOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 212,610, dated February25, 1879; application filed October 28, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM KOOK and JOSEPH L. HALL, of Cincinnati, inthe county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certainImprovements in Time-Locks for Safes, &c., of which the following is aspecification:

This invention consists of a time-movement, so connected with anon-time-lock, or with other dogging or fastening devices of theboltwork of a safe or vault door, that the move ment may be disconnectedfrom the non-timelock or other fastenin gs at any desired time, whetherthe timemovement is in motion or has stopped, and of a device soarranged that if the time-movement be running it will automaticallyconnect or set the same in a looking position again before thecombination of the non-time-lock can be set and operated.

It further consists incombining with a single set of tumblers twoor'more angle-bars, so arranged that each can be operated by the sametumblers but on different combinations or numbers on the same dial, onefor operating the non-time-lock, and the other operating thedisconnecting devices of the time movement, all as hereinafter morefully set forth.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus complete as applied to asafe-door, the cover of the main lock being removed, and a portion ofthe case of the time-movement being broken away to show the parts moreclearly. Fig. 2: is a perspective view of the disk and extra angle-bar,shown detached. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of thetimemovement with its disconnecting and resetting devices attached. Fig.4 shows a modified method of constructing and pivoting the trip-lever toits shaft.

One of the greatest objections urged against the useof time-locks onsafes and vaults is the possibility or danger of being locked out by thestoppageof the time-movement, whether single or double. 'lo obviate thisobjection various guard-locks and other secret arrangement of devicesfor disconnecting the time attachment have heretofore been invented byus; but in those there was a possibility that if a burglar or otherunauthorized party became possessed of the secret and of the combination on which the main or non-time-lock was set, he might open thesafe by first disconnecting the timer, and then setting up thecombination of the main lock and operating it.

Now, the object of this invention is to so construct and arrange thevarious parts that the owner or parties in charge may have the means ofdisconnecting the timer in case it stops, and, at the same time, ifdisconnected while running, have it automatically connect itself againbefore the main lock can be opened, thus preventing burglars or otherunauthorized parties from opening the door, I

even though they should become possessed of a knowledge of the secret ofdisconnecting the timer, and also of the combination of the main ornon-time lock.

To accomplish these results we construct an apparatus as shown in thedrawings, in which A represents an ordinary time-movement, and B acombination-lock. F represents the ordinary train-bolts, connected bythe usual bar Gr, having a rigid stump, a, with a shoulder, c, betweenwhich and a fixed stud, I], the front end, 0, of an automaticdogging-lever, D, engages whenever an attempt is made to retract thebolt-work, these parts being the same as shown and described in anapplication filed by us October 24, 1878. As in that case, the functionof the timer is to hold the (logginglever D out of action when it isdesired to open the door; and it is provided with the same notched diskH, mounted on the outer end of a rock shaft which carries the arm L forholding down the dogging-lever D, and also the tripping-dog k forlocking down the arm L and the hands I and J, the one for throwing downthe arm L, and the other for tripping the dog It, and thereby releasingthe arm L, all these parts, as well as the dogginglever D, beingarranged to operate the same, as more fully described in saidapplication, as also in another application filed by us October 25,1878,and to which applications reference is made for a more detaileddescription.

\Ve now proceed to describe, in detail, our present improvements oradditions to the foregoing apparatus.

. In the first place, we provide a sliding rod or bar, N, which has anarm, 12, arnnged to engage with a pin, f, on the arm L of the timer, asshown in Figs. 1 and 3, and also a shoulder or projection, '13, arrangedto engage with a pin, it, projecting from the side of a lever, P, which2 name has its opposite end arranged to engage with a pin, 1, on the dog70, as shown in said Figs. 1 and 3, so that when the bar N is depressedit will operate to throw down the arm L, there by holding out of actionthe dogging-lever D, and at the same time drawing down the end of leverP, so that the arm V will engage upon and hold it until released, ashereinafter explained.

To operate this bar N we provide the main lock B with two angle-bars,tand E, as shown in Fig. 1, the first being the usual one for operatingthe bolt of the lock, and the latter be ing arranged to connect with thebar N in such a manner as to draw down said bar when this angle-bar E isoperated. In order to operate this angle-bar the cam-disk M, which issecured to the inner end of the lock-spindle, and has the usual hook fordrawing back the bolt of the lock B and pin for operating the tumblers,has also a cam-groove, i", cut in its face, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.The fence or arm S of this angle-bar E has its opposite end made toproject on the side next to the disk M, so that when the arm S fallsinto the notches of the tumblers this inner end. will enter the groove1", and thus the rotation of the spindle will act upon the angle-bar E,throwing down its opposite end, and thereby drawing down the bar N,which is held up by a spring, which may be applied as shown at g, Fig.1, or in any suitable manner.

It will be observed that the location of the fences or arms of the twoangle-bars is such that the tumblers must he set in diiferent positionsin order to operate them, and that when one is being operated the othercannot be, but that both are operated in turn by the same set oftumblers, and that either one may be operated, whenever desired,irrespective of the other. It also follows from this arrangement that,while the tumblers can be set to operate each of the angle'bars by meansof the same spindle and dial, the numbers on the dial used for settingthem must be different, because the notch in the tumblers must bebrought to different positions in order to correspond with the differentpositions of the arms of the respective an gle-bars.

, With reference to this feature of our invention we would remark thatit is obvious that the mechanical details or construction of the partsmaybe varied and still operate upon the same principle, and, further,that more than two angle-bars may thus be arranged to be operated inconnection with a single set of tumblers, if desired. So, too, thelocation, form, or shape of the extra an gle-bars maybe varied at will,and must necessarily be varied to adapt them to operate upon the variousdevices which they may be designed for in the numerous and Varyingcircumstances where this part of our invention may be advantageouslyused. It is also obvious that this extra anglebar may be connecteddirectly to the automatic dogging-lever D, or to any other doggingdevice, and made to operate or control them just as in this case it ismade to control the time-movement.

Now, when the arm L of the timer has been drawn down by the barN throughthe medium of the angle bar E, the dog It will catch in the notch ofdisk H, and thus the arm L will be held down, thereby holding thedogging-lever D out of action, so that if the time-movement has stoppedthe door can be opened by operating the main lock B; but if thetime-movement is running the action of the wheel 0 on the arm T willthrow the arm V off of the lever P, and it being operated by a springwound around its pivot m, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, or appliedin any other manner, its opposite end will strike on the pin Z of thedog It and trip the dog, so as to release the disk H from its hold, whenthe arm L will at once fly up, thereby releasing the dogging-lever D,which will again operate to prevent the boltwork from being retracted.

It will be seen that if the time-movement is running when the arm L isdrawn down, as above described, the time that it will be held down isonly so long as it takes for the wheel 0 to move through the distancefrom one tooth to another, because the instant that the next tooth comesin contact with the arm T the lever P will be released from its detentV, when it will instantly trip the dog 70 and release the arm L. As thistakes but a few seconds, it follows that even if a person has thecombination of the main lock there is not time enough to set up thecombination before the automatic tripping device will have released thearm L, thus leaving the bolt-work locked both by the automaticdogging-lever D and the main lock B.

The time that the detent shall hold the lever P before releasing the armL, as above described, can be more or less by merely arranging the leverT so that it shall be moved by a slower or faster moving wheel of thetimemovement. In any event, the time should be so short that it shall beimpossible for a person to set up the combination of the main lock andretract its bolt before the dog 70 is tripped by the lever P orautomatic tripping mechanism.

As there is a possibility that the end of the arm T may engage againstthe point of one of the teeth of its operating-wheel O, in which case itwould stop the time-movement, we have provided for such a contingency bypivoting said arm T to its shaft Y in such amanner that it may have alateral movement sufficient for it to be moved sidewise away fromcontact with the tooth against which it may thus lock, as shown in Fig.3, there being a spring, an, arranged to bear against said arm T andthrow it back in line with the wheel again as soon as released. Twoforms of pivoting the arm T to its shaft Y are shown, but any form ormethod may be used that will permit the end of the arm to be moved awayfrom the point of the tooth; and to effect this lateral movement of thearm T we either curve the upper end of the barN where it passes abovethe arm T, or secure to said bar a projection of any kind in such aposition that when the bar is drawn down it will press against the arm Tand throwit laterally away from the tooth against which it may belocked. By this arrangement also the arm T will be held laterally awayfrom the wheel so long as the bar N is held down, but will be releasedand resume its position the instant the bar N is thrown up, and thus beagain ready to trip the detent V, and thereby the dog 70, and this itwill repeat as often as the bar N is drawn down, so long as thetime-movement continues to run.

At first sight it might be thought that if the disk M should be stoppedin such a position as to hold the bar N depressed, (and which may bedone,) the door might be opened, because by thus holding the barN downthe automatic dogging-lever will be held out of action; but this cannotbe, because, in order to set up the combination of the main lock thedish M must be turned, thereby releasing the angle-bar E and bar N, whenthe latter will instantly spring up, and the dog 70 will be tripped, asabove described.

It will be seen that the tumblers can only be set for one angle-bar at atime, and, consequently, that whichever one they may be first set for,that combination or setting will be broken up or disarranged by the actof setting them for the other.

In Fig. 3 the tripping-arm T is shown pivoted on the top of its shaft Ywith a stop'pin, z, to limit its backward movement, so that it shall notpass beyond the line of the wheel 0. In Fig. 4 this arm T is shown asstraddling the shaft Y with a pin passing vertically through both. Inthis latter case the spring as is passed through a hole in the shaft,and its rear end serves as a stop. It is obvious that it is immaterialhow these parts are connected so long as the arm T can have the lateralmovement required.

It will, of course, be understood that the mechanical details may bevaried materially from those here shown, so far as the construction andarrangement of devices in the automatic trippin g apparatus isconcerned, as with the description and illustration herewith given anymechanic skilled in the art will be able to apply ourinvention in avariety of ways; and therefore we do not intend or desire to beunderstood as limiting ourselves to the special construction orarrangement of parts, but merely present this as one of the simplest andbest forms at present known to us of constructing and applying ourinvention.

It is obvious that this automatic tripping apparatus or invention maybeapplied to any time-lock or attachment in which provision is made fordisconnecting the time movement orattachment, whether said time movementor attachment be used to dog a non-time-lock or be used to operate on orin connection with other kinds or styles of locking or dogging devices,and we so intend to apply it wherever applicable or desirable.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing description that thisinvention will enable its owner to prevent being locked out in case thetime-movement should stop from any cause, and at the same time willprevent any one from unfastening or opening the door so long as thetime-movement continues to run up to the time for which it may have beenset to be opened, thus affording perfect control and absolute security.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim is- 1. Thecombination of two or more separate angle bars with a single set oftumblers, said angle-bars being all arranged to be operated by the sametumblers and by a single spindle and dial, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a time attachment and a non-chronometer-lock witha single set of tumblers and two independent angle'bars, one of saidbars being arranged to operate the lock and the other to disconnect thetime attachment, substantially as herein, set forth.

3. The combination of a time attachment, mechanism for disconnecting thesame, whether running or not, from the part that it dogs, and anautomatic tripping device arranged to throw said time attachment intooperation again, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The automatic tripping device consisting of the two arms T V,arranged to turn on a common center,-with the arm T, that engages withthe wheel of the time-movement, arranged to have an independent lateralmovement, whereby it can be disengaged from the tooth of the wheel incase it becomes locked therewith, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

5. In combination with the tripping-arm T, the movable bar N,constructed and arranged to operate on said arm. T, substantially asdescribed, for the purpose of releasing said. arm from the tooth of thewheel, as set forth.

6. In combination with the bolt-work of a safe or vault door, anautomatic dogging device, D, a non-chronometerlock, 13, and a timeattachment, A, with means, substantially such as described, fordisconnecting the time attachment and for automatically connecting itagain before the non-chrouometer-lock can be operated, the combinationbeing substantially such as is herein set forth.

7. The combination-lock B, provided with two angle-bars, t and E, botharranged to be operated by the same set of tumblers, in combination witha time attachment, A, provided with an automatic tripping mechanism andthe connecting-bar N, all combined and arranged for joint operation,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

WVM. KOOK.

Vitnesses: JOSEPH L. HALL.

It. W. BULLA, R. G. PULLEN.

